Jack-in-the-Green

Each MayDay, for ages and ages, there has been a Jack-in-the-Green festival in Hastings. The current one has been dancing up All Saint's Street since 1983. I love to go when I can and always take my camera. Here are a few highlights, and brief story of the day.

The sun was shining, always a good start

we had breakfast accompanied by a seagull and watched the Merry Go Round man attend to his Merry Go Round, which jingles in the town centre. Then off to the seafront to see what the day will bring

bikers and their bikes gather here for the yearly rally which also takes place on MayDay with the Carlisle Pub as it's final destination, where I suspect much hailing and toasting is done

 while Mayday'ers wander in loose clusters towards the Old Town

a giantess waits

 old friends greet each other

bikers mingle with musicians while a Mermaid

 watches over the crowds

drummers in their yellow wait to drum

others wait and watch

 some wander amongst the fishing boats

 others draw wondering gazes

 wriggle their golden skins

 find unusual places to see the excitements

 host dragons in their hats

 have wings

A great crowd, waiting for the Jack-in-the_Green to be released from the Fisherman's Museum at the end of the street. The Sambalanco drummers lead the drum roll, which bounces off the high properties, net huts and cliff faces of the Old Town and calls Jack out of his lair

 he bounces out, surrounded by drummers  and dancers and the whole panoply of people

to march along the seafront, and begin his promenade up All Saints Street, where more wait to cheer

 windows are decked

and Jack begins his wild carousing passage around the Old Town  

 with rude Morris dancing ladies

 beautiful Wood Lords

 dainty damsels

and Wylde Men

 the Giantess bows to everyone, high and low

 swirly green is flounced about

 noses are daubed with the good luck splodge of Spring

 fair farm girls wave their flowered arches

 and other delights follow

all in all it is a glorious parade of wonderful costumes,

smiling faces and drumming that thrums right through to your soul.

It is a glorious day, and is part of a longer programme of May festivities that surround this old festival. 

As one wanders about, soaking up all this life and vitality, the occasional whisper is heard

"this is all a bit Pagan isn't it?"

Well ... yes actually ....

the rest of my pics can be seen here
Hastings Jack-in-the-Green
but any Google search on Hastings Jack-in-the-Green will find you loads more